Depolarization substance for electric batteries.



GUSTAV PLATNER, or W T'ZENnAusEN, GERMANY.

I 'SPEGIFfofming part of Letters Application filed December 28, 1897.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, GUSTAV PLATNER, phy- ,sician, asubject of the King of Prussia, German'Emperor, and a resident of W'itzenhausen-on-the-Werra, in the Province of Hesse- Nassau, German Empire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Depolarization Substances for Electric Batteries, (for which I have obtained British Patent No. 23,329 of October 11, 1897,) of which the following is an exact specification.

This invention relates to improvements in depolarization substances for galvanic batteries, and has for its object the employment of chlorates for this purpose. Chlorates alone or uncombined are notsuited fortheabovepurpose, in View of the fact that they doubt give forth their oxygen under the conditions existing in an electric battery. However, they will be especially suited for't-h'eobject in question if certain other bodies are added to said chlorates, which bodies, in consequence of their chemical aflinity, cause the chlorates .to give off their oxygen. Chemical compo unds,in the first place, suitable for the purpose in questionthat is to say, compounds which by chemical combination cause oxygen to be given offare,first,salts of iron -for instance, chlorid of iron and sulfate of iron-and, secondly, nearly all metallic salts which have the quality of readily passing over into basic compounds. For exarnpleflron and chromiu m salts are easily transformed into basic salts. The reaction taking place in this case is of such a character that the acid radical or some atoms of the halogen become free by the action of the above-named compounds on the chlorates, which give off oxygen, and the hydroxyl group OH enters the compounds, and in this manner polarization is prevented. llereby in many cases'various additions are necessary which prevent the hydroxid possibly freed by the action of the components upon each other from attaching to the electrodes, causing probably the formation of double salts. I will proceed to give examples of a number of mixtures or compounds prepared according to this principle and serving for depolarization purposes.

First. If, for instance, an iron electrode is placed in a solution of chlorid of iron and chlorid of potassium, then protochlorid of Patent HQWI', mitt-Iii fi'ifgiist I, 1899;.

Serial No. 664,1Q7. (No specimens.)

iron is formed by the presence of the iron electrode, according to the formula The protochlorid thus formed enters into reaction with the chlorate, which latter transforms it into hydroxid of iron and chlorid of iron, according to the formula:

The free chlorin acts again on the water prescut, and the chlorid of iron is re-fornied, as above explained, and will contain some basic chlorid of iron. The potential difference is in this case 0.95- volt An addition of bi-. chromate of potassium increases the tension to 1.2 volts, and the electrode remains free. A precipitate obtained by this mixture is then brought in solution with muriatic acid,whereby a small amount of the excess quantity of the latter can advantageously act,for the reason that chlorate treated with muri'atic acid also disengages chlorin. A battery-cell of th I 3 description, when muriat-ic acid is added from time to time, will remain constant and serviceable and properly act for long periods. Second. A zinc rod placed in any optional exciting liquid-suchas, for instance, chlorid of zinc-to which liquid an addition of chlorate of potassium or of sodium and permanganate of potassium is made, gives a tension of 1.5 volts. und'drgoes hereby no change; but if chlorate were not present a precipitate of hydrate; of manganese or peroxid would be immediately obtained, more especiallyat the electrodes.

Third, In a carbon cylinder a dry mixture of sulfate of iron, chlorate of potassium or sodium, and peroxid of manganese is tightly packed together. Whenplaced with zinc in a solution of chlorid of ammonium, a tension of 1.8 to 1.!) volts is obtained. The sulfate of iron could be substituted by or for peroxid of lead. If two of the three components be mixed together, no noticeable action of one or the other takes place. If, however, all three are mixed together, a chemical reaction would at once take place. A basic iron or chromium salt would be formed. -The sulfuric acid would decompose the chloric acid, which would at once separate to chlorin-and oxygen. Thisaction, however, takes place so The permanganate apparently Fourth. Tin-chlorid chlorammonilim, (Sn Cl 2NH CL) commonly, called pink salt, with chlorate of potassium, when employed as depolarization substance gradually expels its whole contents of 'chlorium, in which all the tin gradually goes over into hydroxid. The

tension is 1.7 volts and very constant." Here.

it is true the salts of tin would penetratethe pores of a diaphragm, and the reduction of the duration in the constancy of the cell would not be avoidable for long periods together.

Having thus fully described the nature of specification in the this inven fi'on, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is- A depolarization substance for electric-battery cells,i'said substance being composed of chlorates combined with metallic salts capable of readily forming basic salts and disengaging aeids or halogens, as set forth.-

In' testimony whereof I have signed this prese'ncepf two subscribing witnesses GUSTAV PLAPNER.

Witnesses:

HUGO NIssEN,

WILLI PFLKGING. 

